A fine drawing from the hand of I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (1862-1978), Bali's most celebrated artist. A highly accomplished temple architect, sculptor, and painter, Lempad is most famed for his unique expressiveness and the elegant simplicity of his ink and paper drawings. 

Acquired directly from the artist by the acclaimed photographer Beryl Bernay in the 1960s, this work derives from and honors Balinese mythology like so many others produced by Lempad. This humorous yet sinister drawing is believed to represent the unfortunate fate in store for a woman who speaks recklessly.

Like so many of Lempad's artistic offerings, this piece is undated. However, this drawing clearly predates a similar but less accomplished version of this scene published in A. Gaspar, A. Casanovas, and J. Couteau's voluminous catalog, Lempad: A Timeless Balinese Master, 2014.

Note: The old spelling of Oeboed inscribed on the drawing is in the 'ejaan lama' form that predates the rise of the New Order era's 'ejaan baru' system of spelling.